Forever is a Long Time
by madisoncox.cox
Summary: Poetry always made love seem so easy to Alec. Yet, Alec seemed to be horrible at it, chasing away the one man Alec had ever truly loved. The good thing about true love though, is it never really leaves. Malec
1. Chapter 1

Forever is a Long Time

When Alec was younger, he often found himself sneaking into the library far past bedtime. At first, it was to read the books his parents had marked off limits, but he found those books hard to understand and boring. In his quest to gain knowledge though, he discovered poetry. For hours, he would sit with his witchlight, staring at the pages of famous poets explaining life and death. And love, especially love. The way the poets explained the idea of love made Alec crave it, for love is life and if you miss love, you miss life. After his eyes would become heavy and the words began to blur, he would close the books and sneak back to his room. In the morning, the quotes floated around his head like stars and the colors always seemed brighter, the world less frightening. As Alec grew older, he no longer had to sneak in to read the poems but would often take them back to his room, highlighting the lines that spoke to a part of his soul.

When reading these poems of love, Alec thought of himself with a man, one who was tall and strong, who always had a smile or a joke, who could understand Alec with a look, and one who would let Alec be himself. At the time, Alec was too young to understand the implications of his dreams, not realizing that most men thought of women rather than other men. Once when a young Shadowhunter came to visit the Institute, Alec quickly realized not only were his dreams unusual but also _wrong_. Only seven at the time, Alec had quickly become enamored with the man. He had nice laugh and listened to what Alec had to say. When the Shadowhunter had to leave, Alec mentioned casually to the Shadowhunter how handsome he thought the man was and that he was the type of man Alec would want to marry. The Shadowhunter's face said it all: total disgust. He couldn't leave fast enough, not even saying goodbye to Alec.

After that, he'd kept his feelings to himself, not wanting to upset his family's position with the Clave. For years, he'd hidden his emotions, eventually having to stop reading the poetry which had consumed his nights because the dreams were becoming more vivid and startling. It seemed the deeper he tried to bury his feelings, the more they demanded to be noticed. He was able to get away with it for a while.

Then he met the High Warlock of Brooklyn.

Alec sat in his room surrounded by the books of poetry that caused his heartbreak in the first place. This was his tenth day he spent locked in his room after Magnus had broken up with him. Over and over, he kept replaying the moment, looking at lines of poetry trying to figure out how to solve his problem. He doubted he'd find any as every metaphor made him feel worse and worse about himself. Angrily, he slammed a book of Shakespeare's sonnets closed and threw it across the room where it hit the wall with a resounding thud and dropped to the floor as if embarrassed it didn't contain the answers. Alec pushed his hands through his hair, pulling slightly as if actually dragging himself out of his internal arguments. With a sigh, Alec fell back on the bed, eyes narrowed at the ceiling. In less than a minute, he heard a knock on his door, a warning more than asking permission, and his sister entered.

"Is everything okay in here?" Izzy asked, looking at the stacks of books around the room. "You know, we have a library so your room _doesn't_ have to look like this."

Alec rolled his eyes. Ever since he had come home in tears after the breakup, his family has been walking on eggshells as if the slightest comment could send Alec spiraling into depression. "What do you care Izzy? Don't you have more important things to do?"

With a huff, Isabelle glared at him before catching herself. With a deep breath, she reverted back to kind and worried Izzy. "Right now, you are what is important. Do you want to talk to me?"

"You know, I really don't. I really don't feel like talking at all."

Alec could almost hear Isabelle hoping that he'd change his mind. After a few seconds, she started to move, grabbing the door, but before she could close it, Alec decided to let her have a little insight into how he felt. "Everybody seems to think that true love should be endless. How can it be endless if only one person in the relationship can live that long?"

Alec, embarrassed at his sudden display of emotions, turned away from Izzy, not really wanting to hear her answer. Knowing his sister though, he doubted that would stop her. "Sometimes, you have to dive headfirst into the unknown as opposed to sticking your toes in. If love was easy to understand, then people would have stopped writing about it a long time ago." Alec made no attempt move let alone respond, already receding back into his head. Sensing the conversation really was over now, Isabelle finished closing the door.

Hours passed before he heard the telltale shuffling and clinking of weapons that meant his family was about to go hunting. If Alec had felt better, he probably would have suited up and joined his siblings on whatever half-baked plan they'd come up with. As it was, he really wanted the alone time. Once he was sure everyone was gone, Alec stood from his spot and stepped out of his room, shuffling towards the training room. All the sadness he had felt after the breakup had hardened into anger– at himself, at Magnus, and especially at Camille. He used those thoughts to fuel his kicks and his jabs as he sparred with the punching bag. After a poorly placed kick that hurt him more than anything else, Alec decided to take a break, shuffling to the kitchen to drink some water. Standing over the sink, Alec let his thoughts wander and for the first time in a while, they didn't immediately go to Magnus. Sort of. Okay, his thoughts totally did, but he choose to think of them as thoughts about parties rather than thoughts about Magnus.

Alec never liked parties the way that Magnus did, or even his siblings. He never really had a reason to go before. The only things to do there were to drink or pick someone up, things he never really wanted to do. However, feeling slightly angry, sad, and overwhelmed, Alec decided that drinking sounded pretty good at the moment. Most mundanes drank to get over breakups, so maybe there was something to that. With the idea in mind, Alec rushed to take a shower and dress in clothing he _hadn't _slept in. As Alec looked in the mirror before he left, he couldn't help but think Magnus would be proud of his fashion; Magnus did always love it when Alec wore this blue shirt– but with that thought, a scowl marred Alec's face. _I mean, how pathetic could I be,_ Alec thought, yanking off the shirt to replace it with a dull grey one Magnus always hated. _Take that._ This time, Alec refused to look in the mirror as he exited the Institute.

As soon as he stepped outside, he was surprised by how nothing had changed. For some reason, as illogical as it may seem, Alec had expected the world to become as dark as he was. Yet, he heard birds chirping and people laughing which only worsened his mood. Taking off in no particular direction, Alec started looking for any kind of bar.

The first two Alec stopped at asked for ID, which Alec couldn't provide. So he kept walking, realizing his legs had unconsciously taken him to Magnus's neighborhood. Angry at himself, he turned around and walked away. It was only a few minutes before he heard the giggles, bass music, and yelling that always accompanied a nightclub. Deciding they probably wouldn't ask for an ID, Alec walked up to the club. He knew there was no way he would get passed the bouncer alone, it seemed only pretty girls knew how to do that, and the line was so long he knew he would loose all nerve before he ever got inside. Before he could call it quits and go to another spot, he saw two girls walking toward the bouncer. Quickly, he walked up to them, flashing his most flirtatious smile, and talked causally with them as they approached the bouncer. He figured his façade was working as the girls giggled and dragged him past the rope into the club. Once he was in, he immediately wanted to leave. It was worse than he remembered. It was loud and sweaty, like he thought it would be, only now he didn't have Isabelle or Jace with him to talk to. _Suck it up,_ he thought to himself. He wasn't going to chicken out on this like he did with everything else in his life.

Although he knew it was rude, especially since the girls were the ones who even got him into the club, Alec dropped their hands and quickly got lost in the crowd. More forceful than he would have liked to be, he shoved his way to the bar.

"Shot of whiskey, please," Alec asked the bartender. Within no time, he had already pounded four shots, and enjoyed the numbing sensation that followed. As he stood there at the bar and looked around, he finally understood why Izzy and Jace didn't mind coming to places like this. When you drank, the colors blended, the music became exciting, and the dancing looked invigorating. He looked to the bartender, took another shot, and decided to let loose. Soon he was in the middle of the crowd, surrounded by people, and he didn't mind. It was surprisingly comforting as he hadn't felt this physically close to another person for weeks. Knowing the alcohol was affecting him, Alec closed his eyes and let himself get caught in the moment.

When he opened his eyes, there was a man looking at Alec a little closer than Alec was used to. Usually, Alec would blush and stumble away from this inquiring gaze, but for some reason (alcohol?) he felt none of the normal reactions. Instead, being bolder than he usually was, he approached the man. The stranger was good-looking, with brown hair cut short and green eyes (not Magnus green, but a duller, more blue green). As Alec approached he realized he was taller than the stranger and even the alcohol couldn't stop a small disappointed frown from Alec's face. However, Alec dismissed the negativity knowing not everyone was perfect and that the stranger was good enough. Sensing Alec's willingness, the stranger danced closer. Again, Alec closed his eyes, allowing himself to stop thinking for once and just go with the flow.

Which is how he ended up in an alley, making out with a man he didn't even know the name of. With Magnus, Alec was always the submissive one. Magnus knew what he was doing and Alec didn't mind giving up control. With this green eyed (not Magnus green, but a duller, more blue green) man, Alec took control, taking from the man everything he had been missing and needing.

"Oh fuck," the man whispered as Alec kissed down his neck, "I did not expect this when I left the house."

"Stop talking," Alec commanded, not really in the mood to talk as much as _do._

"But I don't even know your name," the man said breathlessly.

Alec sighed and responded, "It's not important," before covering the man's mouth with his own, effectively silencing any future conversations. Alec had no idea how long this went on, feeling slightly impatient as he tugged on the man's shirt.

Suddenly, Alec felt the man slip away. Believing it was because of the no-talking policy, Alec decided to apologize, anything to ignore the emptiness that came when he stopped kissing, when he heard what sounded distinctly like fist on flesh contact.

Opening his eyes wide, he saw a pair of green eyes (not Magnus green, but a duller more blue green), and a pair of narrowed cat eyes that Alec had been dreaming of for the past few nights. The stranger was on the ground, clutching his jaw and moaning, while Magnus stood above him, blue sparks coming from his clenched fist. Even though Alec was still very drunk, he felt pity for mundane on the ground, knowing a punch strengthened by magic hurt more than anything he could have felt before.

"Get out of here," Magnus hissed from clenched teeth to the stranger.

"You're crazy, man," he said, still clutching his jaw, as he quickly scrabbled out of the alley.

Alec leaned against the wall, his eyes closed as he tried desperately to feel the numbing effects of the alcohol but only feeling the heartache grow stronger and stronger with each second he spent next to Magnus. He breathed in deep, trying to steady himself, realizing his mistake as the air smelled like sandalwood and magic.

He could hear Magnus breathing, a slow, steady pulse that coincided with Alec's heartbeat.

"Get away from me," Alec whispered barely holding on to his sanity.

"Alec-"

"No," Alec said, shaking his head, "you don't get to talk. _You_ broke up with _me._ Please, just…" and with that, Alec lost it. Tears rushed down his face as Alec sunk to the ground, burying his face in his arms, as if physically shielding himself from any emotional pain. All those quotes about love come back to him like punches to the gut. Alec could feel himself hyperventilating but had no idea how to stop it, not even sure he wanted to. He hadn't cried like this in a long time and it felt good, like every emotion he had repressed was finally coming out in one big fit.

Part of Alec expected Magnus to leave. That part was the pessimistic side of Alec, the one who whispered doubt in his ear throughout their entire relationship. _How many people has he slept with? __Will he love you when you're old? _Does he even love you or are you just another fling? What is he hiding? That was the part that pushed Magnus away whenever Alec felt jealous, the part which persuaded Alec to go see Camille even though he knew it was wrong, and the part that would consider ending Magnus's life early. Another part of Alec, the optimistic part, knew that Magnus would stay. That part knew that Magnus would take care of Alec, even though the relationship was "technically" over, because true love lasts an eternity and what was their love if not true?

Gently, a hand was placed on Alec's back.


	2. The Truth May Set You Free

_Another part of Alec, the optimistic part, knew that Magnus would stay. That part knew that Magnus would take care of Alec, even though the relationship was "technically" over, because true love lasts an eternity and what was their love if not true?_

_Gently, a hand was placed on Alec's back.  
_

Even though Alec hated himself for it, he felt himself relax at the touch. _Even when we're broken I can't help but melt at his touch,_ Alec thought angrily, trying to force himself to tense up. It was harder than it sounded, especially when all he wanted to do was bawl his eyes out. Desperate for it to stop, Alec attempted to calm himself, but every time he tried to think of something else, he just thought of Magnus which led to more tears. It was a humiliating cycle. After a few seconds, Magnus became more comfortable, eventually crouching down and wrapping his arm around Alec. "Come on, Alec. Calm down."

Alec shot Magnus a dirty look, or at a watery one depending on your perspective. Did Magnus think Alec wanted to have this reaction? That Magnus was the person he wanted to cry in front of? With a hiccup, Alec closed his eyes and tried to remember all the types of demons there were. By the time he got to Shax demon, he no longer felt the imminent threat of tears but rather a deep sadness that comes from being near something you want but can't have.

"Better?" Magnus asked. When he nodded, Alec tried to stand but quickly wobbled and landed back on the ground. Even though the situation lacked humor, Alec couldn't help but laugh. Part of it was the alcohol flowing through his veins but another part was how this was so different from how he imagined seeing Magnus again.

"Are you– Are you drunk?" Magnus gasped. The look on his face, which was so serious, only made Alec laugh harder. Could he really not see the humor in this situation? Alec wondered whether the uncontrollable laughing was worse than the crying. Suddenly, he felt arms wrap around his waist and pull him into standing position. Being so close to Magnus caused him to stop laughing as it was hard enough to even remember how to breathe. Now he was staring at Magus's face, perfect as usual. Not even their breakup could stop him from putting on 10 pounds of makeup. However, the makeup couldn't hide the red eyes and the dark bags.

"I don't know why you bother to wear the makeup," Alec stated, leaning forward to lightly touch Magnus's face. As his fingers trailed over Magnus's check, Alec couldn't contain his grin when Magnus shivered. "You always look so much better natural." Magnus's jaw clenched, holding in his response. Alec knew that he would never be this forward, but the alcohol was having the same effect as the fearless rune. His innermost desires, the ones he usually tried to hide, were surfacing and there was nothing Alec could do to keep them inside. His thoughts, often so closed off, were bubbling to the surface.

Still leaning heavily on Magnus, Alec leaned forward and rubbed his nose on Magnus's cheek before dragging it down to his neck. Taking a deep breath, knowing that this might be the last time he was ever so close, Alec wanted to appreciate everything about Magnus. Some part knew he would never remember this but he still wanted to experience it at least for his subconscious. Magnus, for his part, was about as helpful in this endeavor as a marble statue.

"Are we going back to your place?" Alec wondered out loud. He knew it was a long shot, even in his drunken daze, but the alcohol made his internal optimist louder and all but silenced his pessimist. _Now you look desperate,_ Alec thought to himself. Okay, so his pessimist was still awake and kicking.

"No," Magnus answered, ice in his voice. "I called a cab and they should be here shortly to take you back to the Institute."

Alec hated the ice, especially with Magnus, whom he always associated with heat. "Stop that," Alec commanded, even removing his head from Magnus's shoulder just so he could look him in the face. "Don't pretend you've suddenly stopped caring about me. You didn't come over here and punch my date because he owed you money."

Magnus sighed, glancing at Alec. "What do you want from me?" Confused, Alec stared back at Magnus. He thought it was obvious.

"I just want you." Not used to being so bold, his breath caught in his throat and a blush quickly crept up his neck. Still, he refused to break the eye contact first.

Magnus broke first, looking away clearly shaken. "Well, isn't that a shame. It's the one thing you can't have." The ice was back in Magnus voice just like the anger was back in Alec.

Alec shoved Magnus away, harder than he meant to, and stumbled over to the wall. "You know," Alec began, hating himself before he'd even said anything, "Shadowhunters feel love more passionately than humans. When we love someone it never really goes away, no matter how badly they hurt us. Just look at Jace and Clary. She _stabbed_ him. In the _heart._ And when he woke up, they couldn't start making out fast enough. But, there's something wrong with my family. My dad cheated on my mom, with _another_ Shadowhunter, and neither of them are particularly broken up about it. My sister loves Simon but she's too afraid to say anything even though I'm pretty sure _everyone_ except Simon knows. And me, the only one who had a healthy relationship, decides to fuck it up because I was too scared to talk to you. Typical Alec." He could feel Magnus watching him and it made him uncomfortable but like with the crying, once he started a dam had been lifted and everything he had ever thought about the break up was coming out in one long run on sentence.

"All those times I called you and hung up, I was going to explain why I went to see Camille but I never worked up the nerve. Then Jace broke my phone and there was no way I was brave enough to stop by your place." Alec closed his eyes, trying to remember the cell-phone number that had been ingrained on his spirit much like it had once been written on his arm. "_348-1297._ That's your phone number. I was going to call it sometime, explain myself, but I wanted to make sure I was ready." Alec stopped to take a pause. For some reason, explaining the truth to Magnus was scarier than agreeing with some lie. With a lie, it didn't matter that Magnus believed it. What if, when Alec told the truth, Magnus wouldn't want to hear it? Wouldn't believe him? Then any future possibility of getting together really would be off the table. If the truth couldn't set him free, what would?

"You never told me anything about your past. I know you said I could always ask but when I would, you'd change the subject or give some vague answer. Camille knew things about you, things she wasn't afraid to share, like where you grew up and how you got your name. Also, she had been in a relationship with you and I wanted advice, to talk to someone about it– I can't exactly talk to Izzy about what it's like. Making you mortal was only an excuse that I used to visit Camille. I never planned on going through with it." Alec felt emptier than ever now but also relieved, like a 100 pound weight had been lifted. The only hope he had was now exposed to Magnus. The ball was in his court. Desperately, he waited for Magnus to say something, _anything._

"How many shots did you have?" Magnus asked, appearing untouched by Alec's statement.

Upset, Alec brushed his hair off his face before turning to glare at Magnus. "This has nothing to do with how drunk I am. I've never felt more sober in my life." When Magnus met his eyes, Alec could see through the nonchalance and noticed the almost imperceptible glint of love and hope. Perhaps Alec was putting emotions there that he wanted to see, but he didn't care. There was a chance that Magnus not only loved him but believed what he said. Alec rushed forward, and grabbed Magnus by the collar of his shirt. He pulled him down, planting a wet, sloppy, drunken kiss on Magnus. Wrapping his arms around Magnus's neck, he was happy to realize that Magnus was no longer a statue and was kissing him back with as much vigor as Alec could have dreamed of. When they broke apart, Magnus looked like a nineteen year old, not the centenarian he was.

"Alec," Magnus whispered, his breath fanning Alec's face in the most delightful way. Alec closed his eyes and leaned closer expecting another kiss but instead Magnus squeezed his eyes shut and turned away from him. "Your cab is here."

Alec stood in disbelief. Magnus couldn't possibly mean what he just said. What he _meant_ to say was surely, "Forget the cab, come back to my place." When Magnus made no attempt to correct himself, Alec walked over to the cab waiting on the street, glancing back at the alley only to see that Magnus had already disappeared.

A feeling of despair started to settle in Alec as he squeezed into the cab. Still, there was a seed of hope growing in him. He had seen the way Magnus had looked, if only for a second. Alec gave the cabby the address, a full blown grin gracing his face, erasing any trace of sadness, as he remembered the kiss. With a chuckle, Alec leaned back and placed a hand on his lips. They still tingled.


	3. If Its Meant To Happen

If It's Meant to Happen

The next morning, Alec awoke with a pounding headache. Turning over in his bed, he realized he was wearing the same clothes he had on last night. With a deep breath in, he also realized he smelled like whiskey and something else, something that he couldn't quite put his finger on. Sandalwood? No, that was just wishful thinking. It had been days since he'd even smelled that so chances were that it was triggered by his dream.

Last night, Alec had the most peculiar dream. Now that he was awake, the details were starting to slip away but the feeling of happiness remained. All he could remember of the dream now were the eyes. There were two sets of eyes, a pair of green eyes (not Magnus green, but a duller more blue green), and a pair of cat's eyes, unmistakably Magnus's. Since the breakup, one of Alec's fears was that he would forget Magnus's eyes, but the ones he dreamed of were clearer and sharper than anything he had thought of recently, like he had just seen them. Again, wishful thinking.

Alec stood up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he wandered into the bathroom, discarding his clothes as he went. Before he stepped into the shower, he caught his reflection in the mirror. His lips were bright red, a look they only achieved after being kissed repeatedly. Dazed, he touched them almost not believing it was real. Again, the green eyes (not Magnus green, but a duller more blue green) from his dream popped into his head. _What happened last night?_ Alec thought, desperately trying to remember. All he could recall was his decision to dance and then– nothing. Just bright colors and a sense of euphoria. What if he had _done_ something? With someone? Who wasn't Magnus? Part of him felt excited, like a rebel, but mostly he felt crappy, used, and dirty.

He stepped into the shower and began to scrub. _Dirty is something I can fix,_ Alec thought. By the time Alec stepped out of a shower, he felt cheerful. Which was weird, because he had no idea why. Even though he knew it was paranoid, he felt like his subconscious was hiding something from him. _What was it?_ After a few minutes of staring awkwardly at the wall, Alec gave up trying to remember. It was rare these days that he felt happy at all, so why try to dig deeper. He got dressed in one of his black sweaters and torn jeans before stepping out of his room to eat breakfast.

As he approached the kitchen, he heard Izzy, Jace, and Clary talking and laughing. That all stopped when Alec walked in. Confused, Alec looked around at his family. "What?" Alec asked, tugging at his sweater and reaching up to touch his face. "Is something wrong?"

Jace smiled cheekily, "Too bad. I was expecting you to start singing show tunes." Both Izzy and Clary giggled slightly, sharing a knowing glance.

Alec blushed before grabbing a box of cereal. "I'm gay, Jace, not joining the cast of Glee."

"My God," Jace whispered, his face suddenly turning a mock serious. "Did you just make a joke?"

"Stop it, Jace," Alec said, rolling his eyes before grabbing a spoon and sitting down across from the three.

Isabelle looked at Alec, her face more relaxed than he had seen it in a while. "So what happened last night?"

Alec glanced up, still confused. "I was about to ask you the same thing."

Jace's eyes widened. "You don't remember? This is too perfect." Jace's smile widened. "You came home and started singing some crappy love song. Then you even danced with me. _Danced_."

Now it was his turn to laugh. "Right, uh-huh. Sure I did."

"Seriously. It was the weirdest thing that has ever happened to me." When Clary looked at him, one eyebrow raised, Jace edited his previous statement. "Okay, maybe not, but it's up there." Casually, Jace rubbed his chest.

Happy he could finally change the subject off of himself, Alec asked, "Still hurt?"

"Yeah," Jace replied. Nothing more. Apparently, Jace didn't want the attention on him either. Now _that_ was weird.

Awkward silence followed, but it wasn't meant to last as Isabelle started chattering with Jace about the hunt last night to which Alec only half paid attention. Instead, he decided to enjoy his cereal, which tasted even better than it had the day before. Although he had no idea what went on last night, Alec decided it must have been pretty amazing for it to affect him in this way. After finishing his cereal, Alec sat around for a little longer, wanting to move around. "Clary, do you want to train with me?"

Surprised, Clary looked at Alec. "_Me,_ as in Clary Fray."

Annoyed, as he almost always was with Clary, Alec snapped sarcastically, "Do you see another Clary?"

Clary looked around, almost as if she thought there would be one standing in the corner. "It's just, I've never trained with anyone other than Jace."

"Then it'll be good practice for you."

_Am I really this out of shape?_ Alec thought blocking another hit from Clary. It's not that Clary wasn't good, she had improved greatly, and it wasn't that she was winning (now _that_ would be depressing) but it was that Alec felt slow and sluggish, which he chose to blame on the hangover. He had seen several opportunities to knock Clary down but hadn't been able to seal the deal. It felt like every time he was ready to pounce his muscles would say, _Haha, nope!_ and instead Clary would land an easy hit. He would give her this one compliment: she hit harder than he thought she would.

"Come on, Clary," Alec heard Jace yell from the sidelines. "You almost have him worn down. Aim at his left side!" Clary, flushed, put all her energy into her next hit– at his right side. This allowed him the perfect opportunity even his muscles couldn't screw up. He grabbed her arm, twisted, and brought her down to the ground where she tapped out almost immediately. "I meant the _other_ left side."

Alec stood up, offering Clary a hand, before jokingly glaring at his brother. "Thanks for the support. I can tell being parabatai means a lot to you."

Jace grinned like an idiot, "Dude, she's barely 5 feet and has about 30% the training you have. It was hardly a fair fight."

Smiling, Clary brushed off the dirt from her outfit. "I did better than I thought I would."

Jace wandered over, pulling Clary tight against his side, "You have all the correct moves. Now all I need to do is teach you is right versus left."

She blushed, making her cheeks match her hair. "It's difficult when you're moving around like that, I wasn't sure if it was my left or your left."

Alec rolled his eyes, trying desperately to ignore the bickering couple. Glancing around the room, he saw his bow and arrow sitting in the corner, obviously untouched for at least a good week. About to go practice his bow work, Alec paused when he heard the practice room's door swing open and shut dramatically. Wondering what was going on, Alec turned only to see his father walk in.

For months, his father hadn't even bothered to write letters to his family let alone visit. Foolishly, Alec had assumed his father would return when he'd heard of the breakup with Magnus. Even though the man never approved of the relationship, it had been Alec's first and some fatherly advice about 'plenty of fish in the sea' or how 'if it was meant to be, it'd be' would have been nice. His mother tried to spare his feelings, claiming he was too busy trying to get the job as the Inquisitor. However, after the news of his father's success reached the Institute but no call had, Alec gave up hope.

Yet, seeing his father across the room made Alec want to run in for a hug and hear all the horrible breakup clichés. The look in his father's eyes though made him doubt the visit was for words of wisdom.

"Alexander, I need to talk to you." _Okay, well, he wants to talk to me. It's a start._

Alec shrugged at his Jace's and Clary's inquiring looks before following his father out of the training room.

After a long walk around the Institute, Alec tried to ask his father what was going on but his father ignored him. Finally, they arrived at the a room Alec had passed several times but never wandered into. Inside, the room only had a table and two chairs. Even though it was his father, Alec couldn't help but tense up, the setup looking an awful lot like an interrogation.

"Alexander, take a seat." His father sat across from his, crossing his legs and resting his hands on his knees. As Alec wandered over to the other chair, he couldn't help but shiver as his father monitored him coldly. "I'm here on official business, Alexander. For our conversation, I am no longer your father. Right now, I am the Inquisitor. You will treat me accordingly."

Already fidgeting in his seat under the harsh gaze, Alec nodded hesitantly.

"Now," Robert began, leaning forward onto the table, "tell me about your relationship with Magnus Bane."


	4. A Slap in the Face

A Slap in the Face

Well, Alec was pretty sure he was having a nightmare.

"What?" Alec asked, not completely believing what'd he'd just heard.

With a serious expression, Alec's father repeated himself. "Tell me about your relationship with Magnus Bane."

After staring into at his father for a few more seconds, still not completely sure this wasn't a cruel joke, Alec finally responded. "What do you want to know?"

His father sighed, leaning back in chair. His eyes narrowed in concentration, he finally asked, "Why did you and Magnus break up?"

Alec started to cough violently after making the mistake of gasping while swallowing. When Alec had regained control, his father glanced at him apologetically before motioning for him to answer. The issue was that Alec had no idea what to say. The truth? Hell no. _You see, I let his ex-girlfriend escape– you remember Camille, right?– and then had secret meetings with her about ending his life prematurely but really it was so I could learn about his past. You understand how these things work._ "I, uh, couldn't get over his immortality." Not quite a lie.

"So you broke up with him?"

Alec looked down, shaking his head.

"Okay, I understand," his father said, obviously not understanding. His tone of voice revealed just how painfully awkward it was for both of the Lightwood men. "How long had you been dating?"

The next question was simpler so Alec relaxed a bit, sitting back his chair. "It was going to be 7 months next week."

Taking in his son's body language, Robert Lightwood also began to relax and the exchange almost took a conversational tone. "So you knew Magnus well?"

"Not really," Alec said, blushing. At his father's inquiring gaze, Alec explained. "He's 800 years old and there is so much of his history he's never told me. The things I know about him are quirky. Like the fact he only eats the red M&Ms or the fact he has a lucky outfit he only washes by hand." Lost in the memories, Alec continued, clueless to his father's uncomfortable look. "Sometimes, when he's had a really good day, he'll play this crappy ukelele– I mean it's all banged up and scratched, absolutely falling apart– like it's the best one ever made. I used to think it was because he used magic but he _swears-_"

"Okay, Alexander," his father interrupted, shifting restlessly in his seat. "That's enough." Upset, Alec watched the man in front of him, trying to remind himself that his father was only asking these questions because it was part of his job, not because he actually wanted to hear the answers. "How did you two meet?"

Embarrassed at the memory (he had been so awkward back then), Alec stammered, "I really don't see what that has to do with anything."

"Is every question going to be like pulling teeth?"

"Fine," Alec mumbled. "It was at Chairmen Meow's birthday party."

"Who's Chairmen Meow?" Robert Lightwood inquired.

"Um," Alec started, realizing he had never mentioned the pet to his parents, assuming they had already known. "It's his pet cat."

Robert raised his eyebrows. "He has a cat? I thought you hated cats?"

"No, I hate Church. There's a difference." Slightly shocked by how little his father actually knew about him, Alec continued with his story. "We had just realized that Magnus was responsible for the mental blocks in Clary's mind and were going to confront him about it. It also happened to be the night of the party, which is how we were able to get in. Nothing really special happened there except," Alec grinned at the memory, "he told me to call him. I know, it sounds trivial, but he was so forward about it and he was so _handsome,_ it seemed like something out of a poem." When Alec glanced at his father again, a shy smile on his face, he couldn't help but see the disgust written across his face. _You never learn, do you? It's like you're a masochist._

Alec's face completely closed itself off, no longer believing in the slightest his father was here without an agenda. "What's going on?"

His father's face feigned innocence although the revulsion was still clear as day in his eyes. "I don't know what you mean. Please, keep telling the story." _Was that sarcasm?_ Alec wondered bitterly.

"No," Alec said, staring his father down. "Not until you tell me why you want to know."

For minutes, both sat in silence, testing each other's will. Finally his father sighed, "You did always had your mother's stubbornness." His father ran a hand through his hair before taking a deep breath. "We know Magnus has the Book of White."

_What?_ Alec thought, sitting up straighter. _How could they know? Magnus had been so careful._ As soon as Alec had learned that the Book of White was in the possession of Magnus, he made the Warlock promise he'd be discreet. Growing up under the laws of the Clave as a gay Shadowhunter, Alec realized all too well the consequences of breaking them. However, that was for a Shadowhunter. The laws against Downworlders were even worse, especially for one as powerful and feared as the High Warlock of Brooklyn.

"I can see I have your attention," his father replied smugly.

Alec glared at his father, his breath coming out in a angry hiss. "I don't know what you mean. The Book of White was still missing last time I checked."

"You've always been horrible at lying. I don't even know why you bother." His father looked at him pityingly which only made Alec clench his fists. _Calm down,_ Alec told himself. He released his fists, resting his hands on his knees. "We just want to know where to look for the book. If you tell us, we'd be willing to make a deal. You won't be held accountable as an accomplice. You won't be stripped of your marks when we find the book. _When_, Alec. Not if."

"What about Magnus?" Alec asked.

"Executed, as is the punishment for a crime of this magnitude," he father clarified, not even having the decency to look remorseful.

"I don't want your deal," Alec snarled, his voice becoming so chilling, his father's eyes widened in surprise.

"Alexander," Robert growled back, "don't be stupid. Do you know how many strings I had to pull to get this for you? You're not exactly the Clave's favorite Shadowhunter at the moment."

"I didn't ask you to do this for me," Alec snapped, banging his hands on the table.

Robert pushed back from the table, before standing and glowering down at Alec. "I know you may love him now, but you are nothing to him. How else could he so callously break up with you when you were had a legitimate concern. If it was him I was giving this deal to, he wouldn't hesitate to take it and stab you in the back. I'm giving this deal to you Alec, because I'm still hoping that my son is inside of you, the one who would never break a rule, the one who would respect my authority, the one who would-"

"Marry a girl?" Alec asked, sick and tired of his father making snap judgements without bothering to consider how wrong he actually was. Pushing back from the table, Alec stood eye to eye with his father. "That boy only existed because he was too scared to admit who he really was, what he really wanted. That boy would have done anything to please you. That boy was an idiot." Furious and vengeful, Alec said the words he knew he could never take back. "Take the deal and shove it up your ass."

His first thought, after the satisfaction of seeing his father completely livid, was immediate pain. Alec brought a hand to the left side of his face, which stung from the slap. Had his father really just _hit_ him? Alec couldn't believe it. He'd expected yelling, screaming, even some throwing of inanimate objects, but never _violence_. His father had never done anything like that before. Staring at his father in disbelief, he saw Robert's face turn from fire to regret. "Alec," he started, "I'm so sorry." He reached out, as if to embrace Alec, but stopped halfway, dropping his hands.

His father looked down, and when he looked up again, the expression had changed to guilt. "I'm so, so sorry." Ashamed, he turned around, rubbing his face in a rare show of weakness. The silence was deafening. With each passing second, Alec could feel the distance between him and his father grow. Alec waited, some part of him hoping that this had all been a nightmare, that he'd wake up hungover realizing it was all some crazy hallucination.

His father took a deep breath, seeming to come to some sort of decision. "After this, I'm supposed to call the Clave. Supposedly, they are only going to send two Shadowhunter's to search for the Book of White at Magnus's apartment, but knowing the Clave, it'll probably be more like ten." Another pause, this one shorter and less dividing. If anything, the silence now was more like a bridge, a rickety one nobody would want to cross a stream on, but a bridge nontheless. "I'll give you a fifteen minute head start." Alec, still in shock, tried to process what his father was telling him. "Go on," his father commanded weakly. "Time starts when you leave this room."

Shaky from the leftover adrenaline, Alec stumbled to the door, taking one last peek at his father. His father meet his eyes before saying, "This is my last favor, Alec." With a nod, Alec opened the door, running through the hallways towards the place that at one time felt more like a home than anything he'd known before.


	5. Karma's a Bitch

Karma's a Bitch

_**Previously:** Alec has just been interrogated by his father about the whereabouts of the Book of White. The discussion turns heated and Alec's father ends up slapping him. Extremely apologetic, Robert Lightwood decided to make it up to Alec by allowing him a head start to Magnus's apartment before the other Shadowhunters._

Alec ran faster than ever before. Something inside of him was burning, fueling his tired body and propelling him forward. By the time the familiar facade of Magnus's building arrived, Alec felt as though his heart would literally leap out of his chest– and not in a pleasant way. Ten minutes had passed, a record speed for Alec to reach Magnus's place, but still not fast enough. Gasping for breath, Alec pushed the button marked Bane repeatedly as if trying to convey his urgent message.

"What?" crackled Magnus's voice over the speaker. If Alec weren't already struggling for air, he probably would've been breathless at the sound of Magnus's voice, silkier than he remembered. As it was, he had a hard enough time trying to speak.

"We need," Alec began, drawing in another breath, "to talk."

With a sigh, Magnus's voice grew softer. "If this is about last night Alexander, I don't think I'm ready to discuss it."

Instantly, Alec's mind sharpened. "What?" Alec squeaked out. "What happened last night?" _I knew my subconscious was keeping something hidden._

"You don't remember?" Magnus asked. "I'm not surprised, you seemed pretty drunk."

The panic attack Alec was now having did _not_ help his breathing issues. If it wasn't for the imminent threat that outweighed Alec's humiliation, he was pretty sure he would've melted into the wall from embarrassment. Shaking his head to destroy the images of possible scenarios, Alec said, "That's not important right now. You need to let me up."

For a brief moment, Alec didn't think Magnus was going to let him in. Then he heard the beep signaling his decision and Alec rushed up the stairs pausing once Magnus came into view. Even though Alec had supposedly seen him last night, it felt like it had been ages. Any feelings Alec had convinced himself he no longer had came rushing back so violently it literally caused his hands to shake.

"Alec," Magnus whispered, his voice full of longing. The word tugged at a memory, one of a darkened alley and a stolen kiss, but as Magnus's body hardened, the memory fled. "Why are you here if it's not about last night?"

"The book of white," Alec stammered. "They know you have it."

Even though 'they' could have been everyone, Magnus seemed to know exactly whom he was talking about. He rushed into action, the air turning a ghostly blue and crackling with electricity. Magnus turned, retreating to his office but leaving the door open, a silent invitation for Alec to enter.

He could feel the two halves of himself arguing. One telling him to get the hell out of dodge, he'd told Magnus so there was no reason to stay around and torture himself by seeing the life he could never have, but the other wanted him to stay and blackmailed him with images of Shadowhunters abusing Magnus both emotionally and physically, nobody there to protect him. His breathing calmer, Alec stepped forward and entered the apartment.

Alec wasn't really sure what he was expecting. Something messy perhaps, or maybe something too clean. Either way, it was the opposite of whatever the apartment actually was: the same. Nothing had changed. Not even the picture of Magnus and Alec together in Paris had left the fireplace's mantel. It looked as if nobody had even lived here since the breakup, a thin coating of dust covering the living room table and couch. Surprised, Alec wandered over to look closer. Before he could make it though, he was attacked.

Chairmen Meow ran out and promptly sunk his claws into Alec's jeans and legs. With a hiss, Alec leaned down, gently rubbing the kitten's head. Soon enough, the claws receded and were replaced by a steady purr. Picking up the cat, Alec was surprised at how light he was. Apparently, dusting wasn't the only chore forgotten. Noticing that Magnus was still busy in his office, Alec wandered to where the cat's food was, putting three days worth into Chairmen Meow's bowl. Just as he finished, Magnus walked out visibly exhausted.

Magnus looked over at the cat curled up in Alec arms and muttered the word, "Traitor." He then began to walk towards Alec, but stumbled, barely catching himself on the wall. At Alec's inquisitive gaze, Magnus straightened and nodded his head to show he was fine. "Just a little tired. You're friends tried to put wards around my apartment to stop me from magicking anything out. Took a little more energy that I thought it would."

"They're not my friends," Alec mumbled, remembering the literal slap in the face he had received for defending Magnus.

Now it was time for Magnus to flash Alec a questioning glance. However, Alec didn't really feel like reliving the all too fresh memory. Before Alec could awkwardly change the subject, there were three crisp knocks on the door.

Magnus shot Alec a look telling him their conversation wasn't over before walking over to the door. As soon as he opened it, a Shadowhunter stormed in, grabbing Magnus by the shirt and pushing him into the nearest wall. Weak from his magic use, Magnus was powerless to defend himself from the leering man who put a seraph blade to his throat. Alec had no such issues.

He dropped Chairmen, who quickly ran off to hide somewhere, and rushed the Shadowhunter, successfully maneuvering himself in front of Magnus. Squeezing the hand that held the blade as hard as he could, even digging in his nails into the soft wrist, the Shadowhunter had no choice but to drop the weapon. After the clattering of the blade, both Shadowhunters stared at each other, sizing up the opponent. _How weird,_ Alec thought, _that I'm now considering fellow Shadowhunters the enemy._ Alec tried to place the man in front of him, going through the Shadowhunter families. _Henry, Henry Blackburn._

"What are you doing here?" Henry asked, a fit thirty-something man who had dirty blond hair and muddy eyes. "I thought your father was going to talk to you."

Alec nodded chastely, responding, "He did."

"But you're here," Henry said, looking confused. Somewhere Alec remembered that while the older man was a strong fighter, he lacked mental reasoning skills.

"I didn't listen to him." Even though Magnus was behind him, Alec felt Magnus's eyes, starring at the back of his head as if the answers to his unasked questions were written there.

Henry nodded, this brief answer enough to confirm his suspicions. "We told him you were beyond hope. I guess he believes us now."

Mostly, Alec couldn't believe that the Clave would sit around discussing him. The image of council members came into view, this time voting on if Alec was too gay to save. Anger swelled up in him, making his vision hazy and his body vibrate. Any rational thought he had was silenced by the overwhelming, _Hit him. Hit him hard._ Magnus, as if sensing, reached out and gripped his shoulder, reminding him of the consequences with the action.

"Since we've got that all worked out," Magnus began in a bored drawl. "You can start searching my home. You won't find anything, I can assure you of that." Casually, Magnus flicked his eyes to the door, frowning slightly. "I really thought they'd send more Shadowhunters. Apparently I'm not as important to the Clave as I thought I was."

When Magnus's piercing gaze flicked back to Henry's eyes, he could see Henry flinch. "They're outside. In case you tried to run."

Now Magnus smirked. "Well, invite them in and begin what you have to do. Don't expect me to give you lemonade though."

Henry turned away, as if they wouldn't hear his conversation, and pulled out his cell phone. After a quick conversation of "Yeah," and "Okay," Henry hung up, turning back around to glare at them. He held himself in a way that Alec assumed was supposed to intimidate them, but only made Henry look slightly constipated.

Soon after the phone call, there were a couple knocks on the door and four Shadowhunters walked in. They quickly cased the place, their eyes roaming over ever inch. "Get started," Henry ordered. "Thomas, watch them."

A burly man, who Alec assumed was Thomas, stood in front of them. Although he was slouching, Alec had no doubt the man was ready to act on a moments notice. Quickly assessing Thomas as an opponent, Alec realized he was also fairly gifted with the strength department but wouldn't be very fast. Thomas noticed Alec look him over and his eyes narrowed accordingly, his arms crossing over his chest as if he were trying to cover himself up. With a sigh, Alec couldn't help but realize that nothing made straight men more nervous then the idea a gay man might find them attractive. _News flash, just because I like guys doesn't mean I want to sleep with you._ Alec heard Magnus chuckle, apparently coming to the same conclusion, and Alec glanced back. Both men shared a friendly smile but Alec ended it, turning his gaze to the floor with a blush. Thomas now looked extremely uncomfortable, like he knew they were laughing at him, but not completely sure why.

"Shit!" a Shadowhunter yelled, the noise coming from Magnus's bedroom. Confused, Alec turned to ask Magnus what exactly was in his room, but before he could, Magnus was already strutting to the room. Thomas prepared himself like he was going to tackle the wandering warlock, but Alec grabbed his arm, a gentle warning.

"He's just going to help," Alec murmured.

Magnus flicked his gaze to Alec. "Hell no, I'm not. I just don't want him to ruin any of my clothes."

Before Thomas could move, Magnus had already opened the door and pushed his way inside. Both Alec and Thomas moved towards the room and shoved their way past the closing door.

Once Alec realized what he was seeing, a small gasp escaped his parted lips. Now _this_ was what he expected when he entered the apartment, a complete and total mess. The bed was unmade and covered with clothes and empty Thai food containers. Magnus's floor, usually the only clean part of Magnus's room, was a good two inches underneath random papers and books. On top of it all, Alec was fairly certain he saw one his originally-black-turned-brown sweaters lying on Magnus's make up table.

"Shit is right," Thomas whispered to himself. When he realized Alec had heard him, the two shared a look of awkward agreement.

Magnus to his credit was helping lift a fallen pile off of the helpless Shadowhunter buried in a grave of glitter and neon shirts. Once the lanky man had been freed, he couldn't help but groan at his Shadowhunter gear. Usually black, it was now a sparkling mess. "There's no way this is going to come out in the wash, is there?"

Magnus just smiled. "Karma's a bitch." Meant to be a joke, it landed flat. Any humor in the situation vanished and Alec was fairly sure he could cut the tension with a knife. On alert, Alec was ready to step into any fight that might start. Fortunately, that was avoided when Henry entered the room.

"Office is clean," he informed, a confused look overtaking his face as he stared at the now sparkly Shadowhunter. "What happened to you?"

He stared at Magnus for a moment before replying to Henry. "Karma."

After that, everything went back to normal. Well, as normal as personal invasion can be. Alec and Magnus moved to the couch with Thomas slouching in the chair next to them. He picked at his nails, obviously deciding he had the lamer job. Alec however, was always ready to act. Magnus seemed to have some kind of death wish. No matter how much Alec glared at him, Magnus seemed incapable of not making rude comments. There were several moments Alec felt he had to literally hold down Magnus to keep him from interrupting the search. That being said, Alec had to admit he didn't really mind. This was first time in a while (that he could remember anyway) where he'd been so close to Magnus. Actually touching him, even to restrain him, was better than any other activity he could be doing.

After about an hour, the Shadowhunters gave up for the day.

"Don't think we've forgotten this," Henry warned before they left. "One day, maybe within the week, or a year from now, we'll be back for it. This time, you won't have you little pet to tell you it's coming."

Magnus sneered at him, a hateful expression Alec had never seen before in this magnitude. "Little boy, I didn't get to be this old through arrogance. I've dealt with scarier threats from children." And with that, Magnus slammed the door in their face.

Alec was stunned. You just didn't say things like that, especially not to the Clave's minions. "What was that?" Alec asked.

Magnus leaned his head on the door, closing his eyes with a groan. "I'm sorry, I just hated the condescending look in their eyes and I've had a really bad headache that their voices only made worse." Magnus shifted, now leaning his back on the door but staring directly at Alec. "It'll be okay. I'll be more careful. Trust me, they can search here whenever they want and they'll never find it."

Alec nodded, biting his lip. There was so much he wanted to say, so much he wanted to ask, but all he could do was wait in the silence, wait for Magnus to ask him to leave. That didn't happen. "How did you know? That they were coming over?"

Subconsciously, Alec brought his hand up to his cheek, rubbing the spot his father slapped him at. "My father wanted me to tell them about the book. I'd get to keep my marks when they found it."

"But you didn't tell him. Why?"

Alec looked at Magnus through his eyelashes, knowing the answer but not wanting to say it aloud. "I, ah, couldn't betray you like that."

"No," Magnus snarled, "you only do that with my ex-girlfriends."

Stupidly, Alec blinked a couple times, trying to rationalize the words Magnus said with the feelings he felt. Shame bubbled to the surface and Alec decided it was time for him to go. He reached forward for the doorknob, but Magnus caught his wrist.

Magnus sighed a look of regret taking over his features, before stepping closer to Alec. Looking into Magnus's eyes, Alec witnessed the internal battle Magnus was going through. His cat eyes shifted constantly, never settling, before a look of acceptance came over his features. "I never could stay mad at you," he murmured.

And with that, Magnus's lips were on his. Again, Alec felt a memory stirring but before he could drag it to the surface, Magnus's tongue chased away any rational thought.

Too soon, Magnus and Alec found themselves in the dirty bedroom, trying to clear the bed. When Magnus's hands found themselves underneath Alec's sweater, Alec paused, pushing Magnus away to look at him.

"Don't do this if you don't mean it," Alec pleaded. Taking in the tone, Magnus maintained eye contact before releasing a shaky breath.

"Okay," Magnus whispered, licking his lips. "Okay."


	6. Back in the Closet

So early it's still almost dark out.  
I'm near the window with coffee,  
and the usual early morning stuff  
that passes for thought.

When I see the boy and his friend  
walking up the road  
to deliver the newspaper.

They wear caps and sweaters,  
and one boy has a bag over his shoulder.  
They are so happy  
they aren't saying anything, these boys.

I think if they could, they would take  
each other's arm.  
It's early in the morning,  
and they are doing this thing together.

They come on, slowly.  
The sky is taking on light,  
though the moon still hangs pale over the water.

Such beauty that for a minute  
death and ambition, even love,  
doesn't enter into this.

Happiness. It comes on  
unexpectedly. And goes beyond, really,  
any early morning talk about it.

_-Happiness _by Raymond Carver

* * *

Back in the Closet

The next morning, Alec awoke cuddled next to Magnus. His body, more well-rested than ever before, was pressed against Magnus's side. His legs were braided with Magnus's and his arms were wrapped around a slender waist.

Honestly, Alec couldn't remember being this happy before. For the first time, he didn't feel the ever looming presence of Death, the third wheel in their relationship. Instead, he felt Magnus's hand, gently tracing the runes on his ribs. He felt forgiven and he felt loved– a powerful internal glow that threatened to break his face into a smile at any moment. Now, Alec knew their relationship's issues weren't fixed, they hadn't even really been addressed, and eventually the worries would haunt them again. At the moment though, they seemed miles away, tormenting another couple.

Alec couldn't help but grin, burying his face in the crook of Magnus's neck before giving a small kiss there. Underneath his hands, Alec felt Magnus's heart speed up, eliciting an even bigger grin from Alec. It was always pleasant knowing he had an affect on the older man. Alec sat up and stretched, enjoying the delightful popping. When Alec looked back down at Magnus, there was a mischievous glint in his eye and Alec knew exactly what he was thinking.

"No," Alec asserted, a small smile on his lips. "I'm hungry."

Magnus eyes flashed with excitement, the mischievous glint transforming into a teasing smirk. "We could always have breakfast in bed."

Alec bit his lip, feeling himself become enraptured at the thought, but he was determined to make Magnus work for this. "But I feel like going out for breakfast," Alec declared, his eyebrows arched defiantly. However, Magnus could read the look in his lover's eye and knew he had won.

"Tell me the place and I'll magic up any meal you could possibly want," Magnus stated, his hands reaching up to caress Alec's shoulders.

Alec shivered, reveling in the physical contact. "That would be stealing," Alec murmured, finding it increasingly difficult to focus on his argument. "And stealing is wrong."

Magnus lit up, knowing he had Alec exactly where he wanted him. With a snap of his fingers, Magnus conjured up fresh baked goods straight from the best bakery in Paris, items he knew Alec loved. "So punish me." Magnus swooped in for the kill, planting his lips on Alec's and dragging him into an embrace. It was everything they wanted and everything they needed. _Perfect,_ Alec thought as he wrapped his hand's in Magnus's hair. That was, until his phone rang.

Alec didn't even pause in the kiss, knowing it was probably his sister. Had show known where he was, the same place she'd spent hours trying to persuade him to visit, she would definitely want him to ignore the phone. Magnus was happy to go along, not even questioning Alec's decision.

When the phone rang again, only moments later, Alec broke away, briefly debating whether to pick it up. As Magnus's lips worked their way down Alec's neck, the younger man turned back to instigate another kiss, having all but forgotten the phone. _Izzy would understand,_ Alec thought, getting lost in the moment.

Then the phone rang again and Magnus was the one to pull away. "Maybe you should answer that," he said.

Alec dropped his head to Magnus's shoulder in defeat. "Fine," Alec decided, reaching onto the floor and digging out the cell phone from his pant's pocket.

However, when he saw Izzy's name flashing on the screen, something inside of him rebelled. He just didn't want to answer. Right now, he was the happiest he'd been in a while and he knew that once he answered her call he'd be reminded of a reality he didn't want to deal with. So instead of answering, he clicked the ignore button and then turned off his phone.

When he turned back to Magnus, he smiled. "Now where were we?"

* * *

While they had gotten off to a slow start (they hadn't even left the bed until the crack of noon), both men spent the rest of the day trying to cram in three weeks of activities to make up for the time spent apart. First, they took a walk through Central Park, stopping to look at the objects being sold by the various street vendors. For Alec, it felt surreal. He had never expected to do this again with Magnus. Because of that, he was sappy, bending easily to the will of Magnus, who readily took advantage of it. Usually, Alec wasn't a fan of PDA but for the entire walk, they held hands. Alec even allowed Magnus to steal small kisses from him, something that would have caused him an insane amount of anxiety in a previous life.

After that, they stopped for lunch at a small bistro, taking the time to talk and recount any interesting facts about the past few weeks. Nothing that exciting had happened to Alec, except his one drunken night and somehow he felt Magnus knew more about that then he did. However, Magnus had kept extremely busy. He had clients all day every day which meant hundreds of ludicrous stories, one even involving a goat.

When Alec asked about the clients Magnus had today, Magnus responded, "They can reschedule." Although simple enough, the action showed just how invested Magnus was in the relationship to Alec and caused Alec to have a giddy look on his face for the rest of the conversation. _Maybe this could really work,_ Alec thought. When the food arrived, neither man could pause their conversation long enough to actually eat. By the time they did finish, hours had gone by.

Eventually, the returned to Magnus's apartment, content to play board games. Magnus usually won considering he had about five hundred years experience on Alec. Except for Monopoly. For some reason, Magnus just couldn't win no matter how hard he tried which was a significant reason they never played it. "Capitalism never did suit me," he admitted two months ago after they had played (and Magnus had lost) for the third time in a row.

That night, they played chess, something Alec was decent at on his best days. Against Magnus, well, let's just say it wasn't even really a competition. "Check mate," Magnus declared, blowing a kiss at Alec.

Alec sighed, wondering again why he'd chosen this game. "You know, this isn't fair. I say next game you have to wear a blindfold."

Laughing, Magnus reset the pieces. "Like that would stop me from winning. I taught François-André Danican Philidor everything he knew. That kind of strategy can't be forgotten by a simple blindfold. It would just prolong the inevitable."

For a moment, Alec paused, debating if Magnus was serious or not. As if knowing the internal debate, Magnus looked up and flashed Alec a wink. "I'm kidding, darling. I was in France during the late 18th century, a few decades after François-André became arguably the greatest chess player in the world. Never even met the guy although he would be awfully fun to play with. Definitely better competition than you."

Alec guffawed. "No way your ego would allow you to play that guy knowing you'd probably lose. You prefer picking on the weak."

Practically glowing, Magnus moved his pawn forward. "You really shouldn't insult yourself, sweetheart. Confidence is sexy."

They continued this a while, playing a couple more rounds before Magnus finally got bored. Alec got up, deciding to find another game they could play, perhaps one more evenly matched. "You know," Alec began, walking down the hall, "I'm really feeling like a round of Monopoly right now."

"Burned it," Magnus sweetly replied.

Desperately, Alec searched the hallway closet for any game that wouldn't end with him humiliated. Alec leaned into the closet further, hoping that Monopoly was hidden among the other games. _Magnus wouldn't actually burn it right?_

After several attempts to locate the game, Alec decided that Magnus really was a poor loser and did in fact destroy the game. Upset, Alec picked Pente, a Greek game that was a lot like connect four. Alec was horrible at it but won once every blue moon. Armed with his choice, Alec wandered back to the living room, surprised that he could hear the voice of his adopted brother.

"Jace?" Alec wondered aloud, shocked when he saw the man in question lecturing Magnus. "What are you doing here?"

As dumbfounded as Alec was, Jace was that times ten. Speechless for the first time in a long time, he opened his mouth like a fish glancing back and forth at Magnus and Alec.

"I wasn't kidding when I told you he was in the closet," Magnus casually remarked.


End file.
